THE Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) fined Barangay Ginebra San Miguel’s Japeth Aguilar and Rain or Shine rookie Adrian Wong for playing hoops despite strict protocols enforced under the general community quarantine.
For their clear violation of quarantine rules, the PBA fined Aguilar and Wong P20,000 each and were ordered to undergo swab tests no later than Tuesday.
They would also be subjected to a 14-day quarantine before getting swab tested as a confirmatory procedure.
The Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases previously banned playing basketball during the quarantine but lifted restrictions only last Friday, two days after the PBA players violated the law.
Aguilar and Wong were caught violating quarantine rules after a video of their game was uploaded in social media. They played basketball in a San Juan City gym with Gilas Pilipinas pool member Isaac Go, who has since apologized and reprimanded by the league.
They will also undergo 30 hours of community service, according to PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial who met with the players online on Monday. The players, Marcial said, admitted to their mistakes.
With the IATF lifting the ban on certain professional sports, the PBA set a July 22 resumption of training for its member teams.
Football also got the go signal, but the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) said the safety and health of the athletes remain a priority.
“We would like to emphasize that the health and safety of the players are most important in ensuring that the league pushes through this year,” PFF Secretary-General Edwin Gastanes said.
The PFF laid down the protocols for the resumption of team practices with all players, officials and staff required to get tested for the virus by the Department of Health.
The federation pinpointed its National Training Center in Carmona, Cavite, as the common training facility. The PFF encouraged individual travel and limited seating capacities to 50 percent for those with team buses.
Only 10 players will be allowed on the field at each time, with the next batch of 10 athletes taking their turn in 30-minute intervals.
The wearing of masks, physical distancing in nonplaying areas and sanitation of all equipment are compulsory, the PFF said.
Waiting in the wings for the IATF’s go signal are the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League and volleyball tournaments under the Philippine Superliga and Premier Volleyball League.